title: Challenges and advances in the development of inhalable drug formulations for cystic fibrosis lung disease.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a multisystem genetic disorder, which usually results in significant respiratory dysfunction. At present there is no cure for CF, but advances in pharmacotherapy have gradually increased the life expectancy of CF patients. As many drugs used in the therapy of CF are delivered by inhalation, the demand for effective and convenient inhalational CF drug formulations will grow as CF patients live longer. Knowledge of the current limitations in inhalational CF drug delivery is critical in identifying new opportunities and designing rational delivery strategies.
  
  
  METHODS
  This review discusses current and emerging therapeutic agents for CF therapy, selected physiological challenges to effective inhalational medication delivery, and various approaches to overcoming these challenges. The reader will find an integrated view of the known inhalational drug delivery challenges and the rationales for recent investigational inhalational drug formulations.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  An ideal drug/gene delivery system to CF airways should overcome the tenacious sputum, which presents physical, chemical and biological barriers to effective transport of therapeutic agents to the targets and various cellular challenges.
authors.affiliation: Department of Industrial and Physical Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, Purdue University, 575 Stadium Mall Drive, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA.
authors.forename: Basma M
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Ibrahim
authors.forename: Michael D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Tsifansky
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Yoon
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yeo
mesh_terms: D000280:Administration, Inhalation; D000818:Animals; D002626:Chemistry, Pharmaceutical; D003550:Cystic Fibrosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D016503:Drug Delivery Systems / Q000379:methods* / Q000639:trends; D018014:Gene Transfer Techniques; D006801:Humans; D008168:Lung / Q000378:metabolism; D004364:Pharmaceutical Preparations / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000737:chemistry; D013183:Sputum / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D004364:Pharmaceutical Preparations